Controller.



E. A. HANFF.

CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-10.19141 1,241,510. Patented Oct. 17.

2 SHEETSSH I WITNESSES: INVENTOR W Edward Ahamf. BY

% 1 ATTORNEY E. A. HANFF.

CONTROLLER- APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 10. 1914.

Patented Oct. 2,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 NFIFN INVENTOR Edward A Hanff.

ATTORNEY 4d lugs by means of Screws 6. The switching UNITED 1 orriot.

EDWARD A. HANFF, OF WILKINSBUEG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTTNGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CONTROLLER.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. HANFF, a citizen of the. United States, and a resident of Wilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Controllers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to controllers, and it has for its object to provide a simple and efiicient device for controlling electrical circuits.

The present practice is to employ controllers of the drum type almost exclusively for controlling motors that are employed in connection with planers and similar machines and which are-periodically reversed to change the direction of movement of the movable members of the machines.

I provide a controller in which contact members that are biased to a closed position are opened by a cam or other moving element which is connected to the movable member of a mechanically operated switch. My invention is illustrated as employed to control-the operation of an electric motor through a series of electromagnetic switches.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view, in elevation, of a controller constructed in accordance with my invention, the front cover being removed. Fig: 2 is a view, in section, of the device of Fig. 1, the

' cover being in place. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of circuits and apparatus embodying my invention.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, a controller 1 comprises a rectangular casing 2 that is provided with lugs 3 by means of which the casing may be secured to any suitable stationary object. A base plate 4: of insulating material is secured to support mechanism comprises stationary contact members '2' that are secured to the base plate t. A corresponding number of movable switch members 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 are arranged in pairs and are pivotally mounted to coact with the stationary contact members 7. Each of the movable switch n hers comprises a contact member that supported. by a blade spring 15.

A spring 16, which connects the members the several pairs of switch elements, tends to separate the switch members thereby-effect the engagement of the coach ing contact members. Each of the novable Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 2, 1917.

Application filed September 10,1914. Serial No. 860,968.

switch members is provided witha roller 17 to be engaged by a cam member 18. The cam member 18 is provided with projections 19, 20 and 21 which respectively coact with the several pairs of movable switch members. The projections 19 and 20 are of such widths that the switch members 8, 9, l0 and 11 .are

held in their open positions in the or position of the switch mechanism. The projection 21 is of such width that the switch members12 and 13, with which it coacts, are in their closed positions when "the cam member 18 is in. its neutral position. The projection 21'is so arranged that the one or the other of the switch members 12- and 13 is always closed, thereby preventing the opening of the circuit of the shunt field winding. A shaft 22 connects the cam member 18 to an arm 23 which is adapted to be connected to any suitable reciprocating part of a planer or similar machine, the opera- 31. The system comprises a starting resistor 32 and a field resistor33 which is provided with movable arms 35 and '36.;f or including any desired portionof. there'sistor in circuit. The electrical connections of the arms 35 and 36 are so arranged that one of them is connected in circuit when the motor rotates in one direction and the other is connected in circuit when themotor rotates in the opposite direction. By properly adjusting the movable arms 35 and 36, it will be obvious that difierent speeds may be automatically obtained for operation in the opposite directions. The circuits of the re sisters 32 and 33 are controlled by an electromagnetic switch 37 that is adapted to be in. accordance with the counter electromotive force of the motor. The dir ticn rotation of the motor is controlled by 'a series of electromagnetic reversing switches 38, 39, i0 and The circuits of the actuatcci of the several reversing switches rot . movable switch members 12 and. 13 of the controller operate to alternately connect the arms 35 and 36 in circuit, according to the direction of rotation of the motor.

It may be assumed that the controller arm 23 is connected to a reciprocating -member of a planer or other machine (not shown) that is actuated by the motor 28. To start the motor, the main switch 42 is closed to connect the line conductors 26 and 27 to the movable switch members of the controller. It may be assumed further 'that'the controller arm 23, which is illustrated in its ofl osition, has been actuated to the right. 11 this position of the controller arm, the movable switch members 8, 10 and 12 are maintained in their respective open positions by the corresponding cam members 19, 20 and 21, while the switch members9, 11 and 13 have been permitted to close. The

/c6'ils of the switches 39 and 41 are energized by" a circuit extending from the I ositive line conductor 27 through the switch 42,

conductor 43, switch member 11, coils 44 and 45-, conductor 46, switch member 9', conductor 47 and switch 42 to negative line conductor26. The closing of the switches 39 and 41 completes the motor circuit which ex"- tends from the positive line conductor 27 through switch 42, series field winding 29, switch 39, conductor 48, compensating field winding 31, armature winding 28, switch 41, starting resistor 32,, conductors 4.9 and 47 and switch 42 'toiline conductor 26. The

switch/37 is normally in its lower position to short circuit the field resistor 33. The motor then rotates in the proper direction to cause the machine to perform, for example, its return stroke. When the motor has been accelerated until its counter electromOtive force reaches a redetermined value,

the coil 50 of the switc 37 is energized to actuate the switch 37 to its upper osition and thereby shunt the starting resistor 32 and open the shunt circuit for the field resistor 33. The circuit comprising the shunt field winding 30 then extends from the mov able switch member 13 which is connected to the positive line conductor 27, through the movable arm 36, a portion of the re- .s istor 33, and shunt field winding 30 to the ass negative line conductor 26. Thesmotor is further accelerated by the weakened magnetic field caused bythe insertion of the resistor 33. 1

When the reciprocatin member of the planer has nearly reache the end of. the return stroke, the arm 23 is actuated to the left to reverse the direction of rotation of the motor. :In this position of the controller, the movable switch members 9, 11 and 13 are open and the switch members 8, 10 and 12 araclosed. The coils '44 and 45 ofthe switch members 39 and 41, respectively a're deenergized, while the coils 52 and 53 of the eration differs in no other material respect from that described above.

A controller constructed in accordance with my invention possesses a number of advantages. The number of units or parts will be materially fewer than in a controller of the ordinary drum tvpe, since a circuit may be completed or broken by a single pair of contacts instead of two contact fingers and a contact segment. The burning of contact fingers may be materially reduced by the use of carbon or graphite contact members, the employment of which is not ordinarily practicable in a controller of the drum type.

An important advantage possessed by my invention is that the contact members are actuated to operate with a quick action, which insures that the arcs incident to the The multiplying efi'ect caused by the relative lengths of the lever arms of the mov-' able switch members operates to produce a wide and quick separation of the contact members with a comparatively small and slow movement of the operating handle. More accurate stops and reversals are thereby madepossible.

' I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a plurality of pairs of movable switch members, of actuating means therefor comprising a member having radially-projecting arms correspond- .ing in number to-the pairs of switch members, said switch members and said arms being in substantially the same plane, said arms being movable in opposite directions from neutral positions to control said switches.

2. The combination with a plurality of pairs of coacting stationary and movable contact members mounted in substantially the same plane, of an actuating member between .each. pair of movable contact members, said actuatin member being movable in either direction om an inoperative position to respectively effect the engagement and disengagement of'each pair of contact members.

3. The combination with; a plurality of pairs of movable switch members, of actuating means therefor comprismg a member the respective pairs of switches and are of such widths as to retain certain of said pairs of switch members in an open position and to permit other of said pairs of switch members to be retained in a closed position;

4. The combination with a plurality of pairs of relatively movable contact members, of a cam mechanism for controlling said contactianembers, said mechanism'having an inoperative position in which part of said'c ontact members are in engaged positions and the other of said contact members are in disengaged positions, and having also two operative positions for controlling the positions of said contact members.

5. The combination with an electric motor, and a plurality of switches for controlling the direction of rotation of said motor, of a plurality of movable switch members for controlling the switches, and a cam mechanism for actuating said switch members, said. switches and said cam mechanism being mounted in substantially the 'same plane.

6. The combination with a plurality of movable switch members for controlling electrical circuits, said members being mounted in substantially the same plane, and means for normally retaining said members in one position, of means comprising a cam mechanism movable in the plane of said switch members for actuating said members to a second position.

7. The combination with a plurality of pairs of relative movable switch members, all of which are mounted in substantially the same plane, and means for yieldingly retaining said members in one position, of means for controlling said members, said means comprising an actuating member movable in the plane of said switch members having two operative positions, in one of which, a part of said members is heldin a second position, and, in the other of said operative positions, another part of said members is held in a second position.

8.' The combination with a plurality of pairs of relatively movable contact members, all of which are mounted in substantially the same plane, and means for yieldingly re-' taining said members in a closed position, of means comprising a cam mechanism mounted in the same plane with'fsaid contact mem-' bers and movable in said plane for actuating said members, said cam mechanism operating in one position to separate certain of said contact members, and in a second posi tion, to separate certain other contact mem-- bers.

9. The combination with an electric rant and a plurality of pairs of relatively movable .contact members for controlling said circuit, of means comprising a cam mechanism for controlling said contacts, said contact members and said cam mechanism being mounted in substantially the same plane, said cam mechanism being movable in said plane and having an inoperative position in which certain of said pairs of contact members are in an openposition, said cam mechanism having also two operative positions in which said contact members are alternately actuated to open and closed positions.

10. Thecombination with an electric circuit comprising a pair of stationary contact members and a pair of coacting movable contact members, of a'cam member for actuating said movable contact members, said contact members and said cam member being-mounted in substantially the same plane, said cam member being movable in said plane and having an inoperative position in which each of said movable contact members is in an open position and having also two operative positions in which oneof said contact members is in an open position.

11. The combination with a plurality of pairs of movable switch members, of actuating means therefor comprising a member having a plurality of radially-projecting arms which extend between the members of the respective pairs of switches and are of such widths as to retain certain of said pairs of switch members in an open position and to permit other of said pairs of switch members to be retained in a closed position, said switch members and said arms being in substantially the same plane.

12. The combination with a plurality of switch members arranged in pairs and movable in the same plane and means for yieldingly retaining said switches in a normal position, of actuating members for the respective pairs of switch members that are simultaneously movable in the same plane.

13. The combination with a plurality of switch members arranged in pairs, the members of said pairs being movable in opposite directions to corresponding positions, and means for yieldingly actuating said members in opposite directions, of means for controlling the switch members, said means comprising a the same plane.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 26th day of Aug.

EDWARD A.

plurality of cams movable in 

